COMMENTARY: Lopsided loss doesn’t melt Liberty’s resolve

A Division I high school state football championship game was played Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium, and one team had 140 yards in penalties, everything from personal fouls to holding to offsides to pass interference.

It barely could survive a series without seeing a yellow flag thrown in its direction, less disciplined than a 5-year-old on Christmas morning.

The team won, 63-10.

This is the reality of it all, has been for some time, could be for years to come. Bishop Gorman is so much better than any opponent locally, so much deeper and faster and more skilled, that it can be nothing close to terrific on a given day and still win by nearly eight touchdowns.

Consider: The Gaels called a fourth-quarter timeout to substitute for offensive starters, in which the son of one former NFL player (wide receiver Jamir Tillman) ran off the field and the son of another (quarterback Randall Cunningham Jr.) ran onto it.

Yeah. That sort of talent.

“They’re amazing, a great football program, a great team,” Rich Muraco said. “But we want to work just as hard and get to their level. That’s the American way. Americans don’t say, 'It’s hard, so let’s quit.’ What would that be teaching our kids?

“We need to teach them, 'Work harder and beat them.’ ”

Muraco gets it.

His team lost, 63-10.

Liberty advanced to the first state championship in school history and was treated much as everyone expected, which is to say Bishop Gorman became the first Nevada team to win four consecutive large-school titles since the early 1950s and did so in easy fashion.

The Gaels long ago capitalized the D in dynasty when it comes to prep football in these parts, having won the past four state titles by an average score of 61-14.

The final on Saturday was yet another of those lopsided scores that over the past year has increased an agenda of some to have Bishop Gorman accept an “affiliate status,” allowing the Gaels to compete against other Nevada schools but not for state, region or league titles.

Such talk has quieted a bit in recent months, which is a good thing.

“They have Nevada kids on their team and should have the right to compete for a Nevada championship,” Muraco said. “They weren’t always this good, and they won’t always be this good ... hopefully. It’s obviously very hard to compete against them. In the big scheme of things, they have a lot going for them. Great coaches, amazing facilities. Parents are going to want what is best for their son. If I had a son who played high school football and I wasn’t a coach, I’d want him at the best program. If that’s Bishop Gorman, I’d do everything and sacrifice anything to get him there.

“Take nothing away from them. We’re trying to do the same things at a public school like Liberty.

Travel to out-of-state games. Get a bigger weight room. We emulate them. They make us want to work harder, to get better. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Neither would his players. They shared hugs, and tears flowed afterward, the end of a journey for those Liberty seniors who four years ago made a commitment to work tirelessly in the pursuit of winning a state championship. It wasn’t to be on Saturday, not remotely close.

Bishop Gorman could have been penalized 300 yards and still won comfortably. Its depth is that profound at this level.

But you couldn’t find a Liberty player who didn’t feel good about the experience, about advancing to the moment, about lining up against the best team this state continues to offer and matching Gorman snap for snap.

“It was fun and hard at the same time,” Liberty running back and UNLV commit Niko Kapeli said. “We just didn’t have enough. I’d much rather play them because it makes you work hard. They give you something to fight for. They make it better for everyone (locally) because you know you have to work to have a chance. It was a great experience.

“They’re a great team.”

They were penalized 140 yards and won a state final by 53.

This is the reality of it all, has been for some time, could be for years to come.

I’m guessing Rich Muraco already is working on a plan to beat the Gaels next year. It’s the attitude of a winner, no matter the final score.